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British Journal of Social Work (2002) 32, 779-797
© 2002 British Association of Social Workers
Mental Health and Social Justice: Gender, Race and Psychological Consequences of Unfairness
Michael Sheppard is Professor of Social Work at the University of Plymouth.
Correspondence to: Professor Michael Sheppard, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
Summary
It is not immediately obvious how social justice might relate to mental health. Mental health or ill health is, by some, thought to be inherent within the individual, whereas social justice, as its name indicates, resides within the realm of the social. However, where we understand social justice as, on the one hand, an issue involving equality and fairness, and on the other as having both material and symbolic dimensions it becomes clear that there is an important link. In particular groups which suffer disadvantage and discrimination may be expected to suffer higher rates of mental ill health. However, the key to understanding this is by identifying the mechanisms by which this can happen. In order to do this it is necessary that we do not look at mental health (or illness) in an undifferentiated way, since there are different processes involved for different forms of mental ill health. We shall, therefore, look at this by focusing on the issue of social justice through two significant relationships: gender and depression, and race and schizophrenia. We shall examine the mechanisms which link these together, and show how they are significant psychological consequences of social injustice arising in both material and symbolic form.
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